I had the pleasure of meeting Pop a few months ago through a family friend. She is humble, inspirational and a jack of all trades. Meeting people like Pop is why I love blogging and photography. It allows me more opportunities to meet these amazing people who inspire me to hustle and stay grounded. Here is your five minutes getting to know Pop Annemarie.
Enjoy!
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My name is Pop Annemarie, I’m from Manila, Philippines and I wear many hats. I’m the owner of VNTGPOP. Im also a Certified Lifestyle Coach and I’m a mom of three boys. When I have time in between I assist with planning events for The Container Yard.
Wow that's a lot hats! So which hat do you wear the most?
Depends where I’m at. When I’m in Long Beach, I’m wearing the mom hat, but when I’m here in DTLA, I’m wearing my Lifestyle coaching hat mostly and my VNTGPOP hat, and everything else falls in between.
Tell me more about VNTGPOP.
VNTGPOP originated 2 years ago, but its been manifesting since I was 9. My mom was a model in the Philippines and my dad was the Rick Dees of radio back in their day. I kind of grew up in that environment where fashion and the lifestyle was second nature to me. I remember in Junior High, I would stay up late to put together outfits for the week for school and tried some on and had my sister take pictures with a disposable camera so I can document what I look like. It’s crazy, I found some of those photos of me in 6th grade wearing bell-bottoms and a flannel! All which are so relevant today. But like I tell everyone fashion is a continuous cycle. So be discerning with what you keep and donate. Stylish staples usually make its way back one way or the other, as we’ve all seen.
What are you working on right now?
Currently I am focusing on building my clientele for my Lifestyle Coaching career. I am collaborating with my current clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires and maximizes their personal/professional potential. My coaching career will always be tied in under the VNTGPOP umbrella. Most of my sessions are conducted in VNTGPOP.. its been an inspirational environment for some and a unique space for a coaching session for most.
I am also working on buying for the upcoming seasons to keep VNTGPOP relevant in this ever evolving fashion cycle whilst staying true to my personal outlook of what style is to me. Until we fully open our doors to the public at The Container Yard and foot traffic is flowing, VNTGPOP will take the passenger seat continuing to be my passion and I'll continue to build its foundation as I focus on collaboratively coaching clients as my money maker.
Can you tell me a little bit more about The Container Yard, and your space within it?
So The Container Yard will be and will always be a space for innovation, design and art, for anything really. When people ask what it is, we can never give a definite answer, and we’ve kind of grown into it and we like that it’s not just one thing or another. Right now it’s an innovation / think lab creative space if you will. VNTGPOP has been the first fashion component at The Container Yard that sits in our little cozy corner since day one.
What is your goal for VNTGPOP?
Since VNTGPOP is the fashion aspect of the Yard, and eventually my role as this part of the corner, I want to give other up-and-coming brands a unique platform to showcase their work/product. Id love to be a catapult for these brands and creative businesses. So basically become somewhat of a broker for the VNTGPOP space/brand. I’m really open to ideas that are unique, stylish, innovative and creatively fun. Thats the beauty of being in the shipping container, I don't have to be confined to one thing, it is always interchangeable.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My mom, my boys and women who are continuously on their “humble hustle”. VNTGPOP is the epitome of who my mom inadvertently taught me to be. Everything you see hanging on my racks has some sort of inspiration of my mom – so VNTGPOP is mainly focused on the 70s.
Has your mom come by to see what you’ve been doing?
Yes, she only found out when she came to the space last year for our first event, and I had framed some of her old modeling photos from the 70s and she had no idea until she literally walked into it. She walked in and immediately was taken aback when she saw herself on my shelves. Oh it was a glorious moment for the both of us!
What’s the biggest change you’ve experienced?
Perspective - Perspective on so many aspects of my life. In our minds we imagine things to be a certain way but to actually do it and live it breath it each day has changed my outlook on so many levels. Being able to do some of things I do and to be able to connect with some of the amazing and talented folks that I have.. has taught me to stay humble and to quietly continue with my own hustle.
What’s the best thing about what you do?
Being able to meet the people I encounter each day, like you for example - creative people that have a vision for certain things. Being able to share that same vision is what its all about. For me, it’s not about creating something, but it’s about reinventing something and tailoring it to your style. Somebody has already done it. So for me it’s more about what your take is and how you style it. Letting things organically grow – letting things happen and unfold on its own. Being in LA for so long, you start to get jaded, and you have to keep your guard up a little bit as so not to get too caught up in the mix. You can easily lose sight of why you started to begin with in this crazy growing fast-paced city. So staying grounded is always at the forefront for me.
OK! So let’s change up the pace here and switch to the fun questions! What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
What I was going to wear. Even though I spent hours last night choosing my outfits, I still woke up without a clue and everything I tried on the night before went out the window.
What are some essentials you always carry in your bag?
Lotion, Chapstick, my roll-on perfume, gum, and a book. Living in LA there’s always a moment where you’re waiting for something so being able to catch up with a book I'm reading is always good even if its for two minutes.
Favorite TV Show.
Oh my gosh.. Can it be more than one? I’m going to be really honest and dont judge!!.. The Kardashians .. don’t ask! Haha I also love Amy Schumer, Candidly Nicole.. all the stylishly mindless reality “trash” that’s just so stupid and funny!
If you had a dinner party, and you could invite anyone in the world, who would you invite?
Yoko Ono. She has always been an amazing avant-garde, experimental artist, and such a hardcore peace activist. Through everything she's been through and seen she's still the same kooky person. It would be interesting to hear some of her stories.
What would you cook her?
Oh man! I have to cook for her? Hmm. I would probably cook her one of the few things I know I can cook which would be coconut flavored tilapia fish with some steamed veggies over jasmine rice. Super simple.
If you had to wear two pair of shoes for the rest of your life, what would they be?
TWO?! I would pick a pair of booties and some kind of sneakers for sure.
Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner?
Breakfast. I love breakfast. Depending on my mood but its usually between granola with fruits and berries w some milk. Or German pancakes!
Anything else you’d want to share with us?
I will always be about a work in progress. I would love to connect and work with as many people on different levels of collaboration. It will never be just one thing, but it’ll always be rotating through different avenues. This is a lifestyle and an experience. I want people to have a different yet positive vibe every time. It’s all about creating that lasting impression through the experience and making that dope connection.
